Sinus headache relief is available at Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers

Sinus headaches are caused by nasal blockages, usually due to inflammation caused by an allergic reaction or an infection.

During these occurrences, the sinuses produce more mucus than normal and block off the channels that drain them. The buildup of air pressure in the forehead starts to feel like a headache, according to WebMD.

“Sinus pain can also occur because of migraine,” Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers said. “You can have unilateral facial pain due to the different other forms of headache. And so the challenge is to differentiate between what's a headache, like facial pain or migraine, and what's a sinus pain, and sometimes the two overlap.”

So how can you seek sinus headache relief?

The goal is typically to relieve your symptoms and treat an infection if you have one. You might take antibiotics, as well as antihistamines or decongestants for a short time. You can also use inhaled nasal decongestants, but only for up to three days. Longer use can actually make symptoms worse. You can also take pain relievers. But if they don't do the trick, your doctor can prescribe corticosteroids to ease the inflammation in your sinuses.

If allergic reactions cause your sinus flareups, you might need a preventive allergy treatment. Many sinus sufferers feel better with simple at-home tricks, such as drinking warm fluids, using a humidifier or a saltwater nasal spray. If you take decongestant and pain-relieving medicines too often, however, you might get medication overuse headaches.

It’s important to let your doctor know before taking any medication for long periods of time, because decongestants can also raise your blood pressure. In rare cases, doctors may recommend sinus surgery to remove polyps or open up small or constantly swollen sinuses.

Ditto explains what to do in cases like a deviated septum or extreme tooth pain. “To prevent that is to treat the sinus opening. And that's where balloon sinuplasty is very effective.” Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive treatment for chronic sinusitis that can be performed at the doctor's office, rather than in a hospital setting, and carries a very low risk and a short recovery period.

To evaluate your symptoms, take the Richmond Breathe Free Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.

Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers is committed to providing the best sinus and allergy relief in Central Virginia and beyond, using the most advanced proven patient-friendly techniques available. With 29 million Americans suffering from sinusitis and 242,000 annual chronic sinusitis ER visits, our mission is to provide minimally invasive options for needed, long-lasting relief so that patients can get back to living. We call this mission Breathe Free and Live Well, and it is the North Star that guides us in each unique, collaborative patient interaction. To learn more about Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Center, please visit our website.